Scully's club shift 'justified'

Date: June 23 2012

Andrew Wu

TOM SCULLY knows he will receive a hostile reception tomorrow, but another former No. 1 draft pick who left his first club after two seasons, Darren Gaspar, says Melbourne fans should vent their spleen at their own club rather than the Greater Western Sydney recruit.

As Scully prepares for his first game against his former team, Gaspar believes questions should also be asked of the Demons as to how such an important recruit could leave so soon after being drafted.

''I think the supporters should probably take their fury out on the administration because the good clubs they don't let people leave,'' said Gaspar, who left Sydney for Richmond in 1995, two years after being the top selection in the 1993 draft. ''When a bottom side loses a quality player the supporters shouldn't feel aggrieved with the players, they should think how does this happen from a club's perspective?

''Was it a mistake when we recruited him in the first place? Was there an error in the due diligence when we recruited him, because for someone to move on two years later you've got to ask questions.

''Did they do the right job initially? Did they do the right job while he was at the club and did they do the right thing at contract time?

''There's a lot that goes into it. I think it's pretty easy for the supporters to go and say the player's got no loyalty.

''But the player's got a job to do, he's got a livelihood and he doesn't just make a decision on a whim. He lives and breathes it, it's his whole life.''

Melbourne tried desperately to retain Scully, but their five-year offer was trumped by GWS's reported six-year $6 million carrot.

Gaspar faced a similar situation in 1995 when Richmond, the club he had hoped to be drafted by, came knocking with an offer also too good to refuse

The then 19-year-old had just completed his second season with the Swans, but despite showing promise was only offered a one-year contract by a club that had invested heavily in him only two years earlier.

The Tigers saw enough in Gaspar after 21 games with Sydney to give him three years and were prepared to punt on him becoming a long-term full-back - a position which Andrew Dunkley was making his own with the Swans.

''It was a bit of a no-brainer,'' said Gaspar, who retired in 2007 after 228 league games, two All-Australian jumpers and a best and fairest award with Richmond.

''The contract was bigger to go to Richmond and the Sydney contract was pretty skinny.

''I thought I was developing as a player, I wasn't shooting the lights out, but I was developing.

''It didn't put a lot of confidence in me.''

Jeff White was also another No. 1 pick to leave his original club early in the piece, heading to Melbourne in 1997 after three seasons with Fremantle.

Gaspar disagrees with suggestions that high selections should be expected to show more loyalty to their club than a player acquired later in the draft.

''From the player's perspective, all the player's done is put their hat in the ring and say, 'I'm happy to be picked up','' Gaspar said. ''I don't think where he was picked up in the draft means he owes that club any more than the person who was picked up at two, three or four.''